Originally, there stood a wooden Kazan church with one altar in this place in the Streltska Sloboda, consecrated on August 31, 1651. No earlier than 1708, a Nicholas church was added to the eastern side of the Kazan church, making it a dual-altared church. In 1768, a stone single-story church and a watchman's lodge were built. After the construction of the governor's house nearby, the Nicholas church was referred to as the palace church. From 1792 to 1796, the dilapidated Kazan church was replaced with a stone warm church, consecrated on May 9, 1796.

The architecture of the church combined elements of Russian style, such as zakomaras, kokoshniks, tent and bulbous domes, as well as forms of Russian Baroque. This gave it an original appearance, but without excessive brightness, maintaining strict harmony, beauty, and durability. The author of the project remains unknown. From 1796 to 1801, the cold Nicholas church was rebuilt, consecrated on August 25, 1801. Both parts, the warm and the cold, existed as separate temples without a connecting entrance. The warm part, located to the west, was dedicated to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, while the cold, eastern part was dedicated to St. Nicholas of Myra. This explains the presence of two names for the church. On August 23, 1836, during a visit to Simbirsk, Nicholas I attended the Divine Liturgy here. On August 19, 1864, the church suffered significant damage from a fire and was restored in 1866. In the second half of the 19th century, it was repeatedly repaired and updated, but was always considered the most beautiful in the city. In 1870, V.I. Ulyanov (Lenin) was baptized here. On May 9, 1875, the Brotherhood of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was established at the church, which aimed to beautify the temple and assist needy students of the city's educational institutions. The brotherhood took under its care the students of the recently opened military gymnasium. After the construction of a chapel in the gymnasium in 1879, the brotherhood was assigned to this church. By 1882, the church occupied an area of 158 square fathoms, and its parish numbered 1,378 people by 1916. The church was among the protected architectural monuments of Ulyanovsk.

In April 1930, the church was still functioning and belonged to the Renovationist movement. In June 1930, the bells weighing a total of 237 poods 20 pounds were removed and confiscated. There were 9 bells in the bell tower, the largest of which weighed 138 poods. The church was closed in 1931.